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Staff

Each staff member at Katie’s Canine Klubhouse, has not only been chosen based on their love for dogs, but also on their skills and experience. This is to ensure the best care possible for your furry friends. With a combination of degrees and certificates, including, Duke University’s , Dog Emotion and Cognition certificate, AKC CGC® Approved Evaluators, and degrees from Animal Behavior College, your dog is truly in the best hands possible while you are away. But don’t just take our word for it, take a look at who your pup will be spending their time with below, and see why we have the best staff in the area.

View the Staff Bios below to learn more!

Co-owner / Trainer

Katie

My name is Katie Tatro and I am an owner and operator of Katie’s Canine Klubhouse. My husband Todd and I have a beautifully blended family with four children. Max, Eric, and the twins Grace and Grant. Currently, we have four dogs, Stuka, Razzle, Xara, and Penguin. We also have one cat, Quest. We are a family that loves to be outdoors and on the water whether it’s for boating or snowmobiling. Our travels have taken us to thirty four of the fifty United States and we recently became certified in scuba diving as a family so we can experience water in a whole new fashion. My love story with dogs began when my parents took me at three years old to pick out my first dog. Her name was Daisy, she changed my life forever. I wanted nothing more than to understand what she was thinking and feeling. Growing up in the small town in Wisconsin gave the me opportunity to be connected with the farming community. This was how I was introduced to 4-H and the dog project. I began training and showing dogs at the county fair when I was 10 years old. When I graduated from high school, I attended UW-Parkside where I was excepted into the pre-veterinary program. I began working for a veterinary hospital and after about three years I found myself gravitating further away from veterinary medicine and focusing more on dog behavior and communication. I was surrounded at the veterinary facility by some amazing trainers and mentors. In 2005, I was given the opportunity to leave the veterinary hospital with them to begin the first dog daycare and training facility in Racine. It was there that I was an apprentice groomer while learning the ropes of owning a doggie daycare and continuing to expand my training knowledge. In 2009, Ginny and I decided to begin Katie’s Canine Klubhouse in Caledonia. In 2010, Melissa and Allie became our first staff members and still play a pivotal role in the growth of the business. I have been teaching group classes, private lessons, and boarding dogs for specialized training since 2003. Although my dogs and I have participated in and I have assisted other trainers in Agility, Rally Obedience, Fly Ball, and Schutzhund classes, I enjoy taking and teaching trick classes the most. I have attended more than a dozen workshops and training seminars, completed a course through Duke University, earned a certificate in Dog Emotion and Cognition, and attended Animal Behavior College earning my ABCDT title. I am also a certified evaluator through AKC for the Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy Program. I adopted my first shelter/rescue dog within a month of turning 18 and seven others since then. None of them have been what most people would consider an easy dog to live with. It is very important to me to help as many people as possible to understand why dogs act and react the way that they do. Rehabilitating and finding homes for rescues that have been labeled aggressive is something that we are very proud to be a part of at KCK. We foster and rehabilitate dogs that have been returned to some of our local rescues. They are offered a unique environment where they can be reminded daily by dog trainers and other dogs, in terms of what is expected from them to live in harmony with others. Rescues are not the only dogs that benefit from doggie daycare and training. A well exercised and socialized is a happy dog that is much easier to train and bond with. Running any business process challenges, and at time working with dogs can be emotionally and physically exhausting. Thankfully the KCK staff is like an extension of my family, and we are able to put all of our strengths together to make an amazing team. I am surrounded by people everyday that share my passion to help keep dogs in their homes, and find homeless dogs their people. Best of all, I get to work with dogs every day, but also the most amazing and loyal creatures on the planet.

Co-Owner / Trainer

Ginny

My name is Virginia Singleton, but most people call me Ginny. I am a Co-owner of Katie’s Canine Klubhouse and also a trainer. I have always loved animals.

As a child, I had a “short cut” I took home from school that took twice as long because of all the dogs waiting for me to greet them. Growing up I had pet dogs, parakeets, rabbits, and even a skunk.

I grew up in Illinois and studied teaching. When I graduated I moved to Racine for a position as a gym teacher. It was then that I began to foster for Hope Safe House and ended up a foster failure when Epstein, a beagle mix, came into my life. We were a therapy dog team for most of his 15 years. I met Katie while taking classes with Epstein. He began attending daycare at the same facility, and the more time I spent there the more I knew I wanted to be a part of the business. I became a business partner there and eventually Katie and I began Katie’s Canine Klubhouse.

I received my dog training certification from Animal Behavior College. I am also a Certified Canine Good Citizen Evaluator and a Therapy Dog International Evaluator. I consider our business to be part of a greater mission that helps dogs and their families have the best life they can through education.

TRAINER / GROOMER / DOG HANDLER

Melissa

Hi my name is Melissa and I have worked at KCK since 2010 and as a dog handler since 2005. I absolutely love my job and can’t imagine doing anything else. I began grooming in 2011 and have been working as a dog trainer/behaviorist since 2013. I became a certified AKC evaluator for the Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy program. I love learning new dog training techniques. I believe that each family and each dog will benefit from the type of training that they are most comfortable with. 

I am married to my high school sweetheart, Nick and we have two energetic boys, Tyler and Colton. They love all things BOY! Hunting, fishing, karate, water sports, and the Packers. They always keep me on my toes! My family shares a love for animals. In our house we have four dogs Mater, Rustee, Baymax and Rooster.  We also have a cat named Yeti and a Bearded Dragon named Pancake. Pancake and I are the only girls in the house and five of our six pets are rescues. 

The boys and I spend quite a bit of time volunteering with one of our local animal rescues, Hope Safehouse. I serve as the secretary on their board of directors as well. We have fostered puppies, kittens and adult dogs through HOPE and other local rescues. We help with fundraising events meet and greets for perspective adopters. My boys also help with behavior evaluations for dogs coming into rescue.  Our cat Yeti even helps to see how well dogs might do in a home with cats. In my free time I love spending time with my family. We spend a lot of time up north at our family cottage. We enjoy hiking, swimming and boating. Of course we do all of this with our dogs. 

Dogs are a huge part of my life and I can’t imagine it any other way! People always say, I would love to have your job! Although there are a lot of chaotic and noisy days, I do love it. It’s amazing and I’m lucky to be a part of the KCK family!

TRAINER / DOG HANDLER

Sherri

My name is Sheri White. I teach classes and in-home lessons for KCK. I began my dog training career in Bay City, Michigan at Kaybees K9 Training and Spa in 2016. I was looking for a fun part-time retirement job, and what better than working with puppies and helping people!  There I did individual dog training, group classes, and group training as well as managing the daycare. I earned my certification through Animal Behavior College and have 4 years experience training Canine Good Citizen and STAR Puppy methodologies. Prior to that, I retired from the Dow Chemical Company after working in Human Resources.

I currently have a 14 year old chow/golden retriever mix named Smudge, who rules the roost!  When I’m not playing with pups, I enjoy gardening, golfing, projects around the house, and exploring my new state.

GROOMER / Dog HANDLER

Allie

Hi my name is Allie. I have worked at KCK since 2010, and I have been grooming since 2011. I have attended training and behavior seminars, and I have assisted in training classes. Before I became a mom, I also took most of my dogs through several training classes. I am blessed to be able to say I love what I do. I live in Racine with my boyfriend Tim, our son Jaxon, and our four dogs. Jaxon may only be a toddler, but he already shows so much love and understanding for our dogs. His relationship with them makes me so happy and very proud. I have adopted all four of my dogs from different rescues and have fostered over a dozen puppies and dogs. Of those, four of them never left. Their names are Jada, Sky, Carmel, and Stanley. Being able to work with my second family every day is the absolute best. What I love most about working at the Klubhouse is being able to give some dogs the chance to succeed and “learn to be dog” that many other places may turn away. It is great to be able to help make a positive difference in the dogs and their families lives. I do love happy go lucky dogs, but the ones that take a little extra effort and patience really tug at my heart. I can’t wait to see what fun the future holds here at KCK.

GROOMER/HANDLER

Janessa

Hi, my name is Janessa and I am a dog handler and groomer at Katie`s Canine Klubhouse. I have worked at KCK since December 2018, and I absolutely love it. Working with animals has always been a dream of mine, and KCK made that dream possible. Every day is a new opportunity for learning and developing my skills as a dog handler and as a dog groomer. Grooming is super hands on and it is the fun artistic side of my job. I enjoy doing it because there is always room for improvement. There is a great sense of accomplishment when you finish grooming a dog or help a dog overcome their fear of a nail trim. Although I love every dog I get to groom, my favorites are the giant breeds. My first dog Alex was a yellow lab and was my first friend. Working with him as we both grew up, I realized that dogs can be taught a lot with having patience, routine, and trust. With those skills I have been able to communicate with clients and help them with their dogs. While I have been at KCK, I have had amazing opportunities to help owners to better understand and learn to work with their furry friends to speak their language. The best part of my job is being able to bring my furry bestfriend to work every day. I am currently raising a beautiful Newfoundland named Everest with my best friend and fiancé Eric. When I am not at KCK, the three of us love to be traveling, hiking, looking for new adventure, or snuggled up together and enjoying some down time. Hopefully Everest and I will get a chance to meet you and your fluffy friend!

DOG HANDLER

Preston

My name is Preston, I first met everyone at the Klubhouse when my parents began bringing our family dog to daycare shortly after they opened. In 2015, I volunteered at KCK for a school project that was designed for students to give back to the community. I knew that the Klubhouse fostered dogs for some local shelter groups, and I wanted to spend my volunteer time working with them. After working there for my project, I fell in love with the place and decided I wanted to come back for a job once I turned sixteen, and I did. I have been working at KCK since 2018. I have one dog, she is a small white cattle dog mix named Poison Ivy. In my free time outside of work, I like to play golf and take my dog to the beach near my house. My experiences working at KCK have been great. I really like working with so many dogs and I also like the people I work with.

DOG HANDLER / APPRENTICE GROOMER

Jordyn

My name is Jordyn and I am 17 years old. I am the youngest of five children. I have a fraternal twin sister. We do not look alike, if anything we’re pretty opposite. I started at the Klubhouse in 2019 and I love my job. According to my family, I loved dogs even before I could walk. As long as I can remember, I have always wanted to be a veterinarian or something that allowed me to work with animals. Being a dog handler and apprentice groomer I am earning working credits through my youth apprenticeship at Park High School. This is a definite plus because it also means that I am able to go to school for half days. My favorite part of the job is cuddling with the dogs when they are tried at the end of the day. However, when I come to work and 50 or so dogs are so excited to see me I cannot help but love their energy. Although I don’t have a dog myself, I do get to take my older sisters dog Ace a lot. I used to have dog when I was younger, but now that I am going to be leaving the house soon, I do not want to leave my parents with the responsibility of a dog when I am away at school. So for now, I bring Ace with me to work when I can and spoil him like he is my own.